- GROUP TURNOVER CONTINUES TO IMPROVE: IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2017, CONSOLIDATED REVENUES TOTALLED 9.8 BILLION EUROS, 7.4% HIGHER THAN IN THE SAME PERIOD OF 2016.
- GROUP TURNOVER IN THE SECOND QUARTER WAS 5 BILLION EUROS, 6.4% HIGHER THAN IN THE SAME PERIOD IN 2016
- GROUP EBITDA FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR WAS 4.1 BILLION EUROS, (10.4% HIGHER THAN IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2016)
- THE DOMESTIC BUSINESS UNIT CONTINUES TO GROW: TURNOVER +3.4%; EBITDA +5.6% , BEST PERFORMANCE BY FAR
- WIRELINE: SERVICE REVENUES GROW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS. AVERAGE REVENUE PER CUSTOMER ALSO GROWS (ARPU +2 EUROS/MONTH ON THE TOTAL CUSTOMER BASE AND +3 EUROS/MONTH ON BROADBAND CUSTOMERS). LINE LOSSES DOWN AGAIN, STABILISATION EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE YEAR
- MOBILE: IN THREE MONTHS (Q2 2017) OVER 500 THOUSAND NEW CUSTOMERS, WITH ARPU GROWING TO 12.50. +4% ON THE PREVIOUS QUARTER AND +3% ON 2016
- IN BRAZIL THE RECOVERY TREND IN RESULTS CONTINUES: REVENUES +2.9% ; EBITDA +14.3%
- THE GROUP’S ADJUSTED NET FINANCIAL DEBT TOTALLED 25,104 MILLION EUROS, 15 MILLION EUROS LESS THAN AT 31 DECEMBER 2016, AND 2.4 BILLION LESS THAN AT JUNE 2016
- ARNAUD DE PUYFONTAINE: “THE POSITIVE RESULTS OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A FURTHER RELAUNCH OF THE GROUP”
- FLAVIO CATTANEO: “SINCE THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016, WE HAVE RECORDED A CUMULATIVE IMPROVEMENT IN EBITDA OF 1.3 BILLION EUROS AND A GROWTH OF OVER 9 PERCENTAGE POINTS IN GROUP TURNOVER. DEBT WAS REDUCED BY 2.4 BILLION EUROS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.”
- BOARD TEMPORARILY GRANTS THE POWERS OF RESIGNING CEO TO EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN DE PUYFONTAINE, THOSE ON SECURITY AND SPARKLE TEMPORARILY GRANTED TO VICE-CHAIRMAN RECCHI.
- COMPOSITION OF THE CONTROL & RISK AND OF THE STRATEGIC COMMITTEES MODIFIED.
The results of the first half of 2017 will be illustrated to the financial community during a conference call scheduled for 28 July 2017 at 12.00 p.m. (CET). Journalists may listen in to the presentation, without asking questions, by calling 0633168. The presentation slides will be available at www.telecomitalia.com/1H2017/eng.
The TIM Group’s financial report on the half year to 30 June 2017 was drafted in accordance with art. 154–ter (Financial Reporting) of Leg. Decree 58/1998 (Consolidated Law on Finance - CLF) and subsequent amendments and supplements and prepared in accordance with the international accounting principles issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and approved by the European Union (defined as "IFRS"), as well as the provisions issued in implementation of art. 9 of Leg. Decree 38/2005. The financial report on the half year to 30 June 2017 is subject to a limited audit. This activity is currently taking place.
The half-year financial report includes:
- the interim Report on operations;
- the condensed half-year consolidated financial statements;
- the certification of the Condensed Half-Year Consolidated Financial Statements pursuant to art. 81-ter of Consob Regulation no. 11971 of 14 May 1999 as subsequently amended and supplemented.
The accounting policies and consolidation principles adopted in preparing the Condensed half-year consolidated financial statements as of 30 June 2017 are consistent with those adopted in the Annual Consolidated Financial Statements as of 31 December 2016, to which reference may be made. It should be noted that no new accounting standards or interpretations endorsed by the EU came into force from 1 January 2017.
In addition to the conventional IFRS financial performance indicators, TIM Group uses certain alternative performance indicators in order to give a clearer picture of the general performance and financial position of the company. Specifically, the alternative performance indicators refer to: EBITDA; EBIT; organic change in revenues, in EBITDA and EBIT; EBITDA margin and EBIT margin; net financial debt carrying amount and adjusted net financial debt. The meaning and content of these measures are explained in the annexes.
Note that the section "Business Outlook for the 2017 financial year", contains forward-looking statements about the Group’s intentions, beliefs and current expectations with regard to its financial results and other aspects of Group's operations and strategies. Readers of this press release should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, as final results may differ significantly from those contained in the above-mentioned forecasts owing to a number of factors, the majority of which are beyond the Group’s control.
MAIN VARIATIONS TO THE TIM GROUP CONSOLIDATION SCOPE
No significant changes occurred in the consolidation area in the first half of 2017.
The following changes occurred in 2016:
- TIMVISION S.r.l. (Domestic Business Unit): established on 28 December 2016;
- Noverca S.r.l. (Domestic Business Unit): TIM S.p.A. acquired 100% of the company on 28 October 2016;
- Flash Fiber S.r.l. (Domestic Business Unit): established on 28 July 2016;
- Sofora - Telecom Argentina Group: classified under Discontinued operations (discontinued operations/non-current assets held for sale) was sold on 8 March 2016;
- Revi Immobili S.r.l., Gestione Due S.r.l. and Gestione Immobili S.r.l. (Domestic Business Unit): on 11 January 2016 INWIT S.p.A. acquired 100% of these companies, which were subsequently merged by incorporation.
The Board of Directors of Telecom Italia met today chaired by Arnaud de Puyfontaine, to approve the financial report on the half-year to 30 June 2017.
The results for the first half of 2017 confirm and strengthen the positive trend in the Group’s activities
At consolidated level, we can report that revenues increased to 9.8 billion euros (7.4% higher compared to the first six months of 2016) and EBITDA grew to 4.1 billion euros (10.4% higher than in H1 2016) with a margin of 42.1% (41% in H1 2016).
The Parent company’s profits at 30 June 2017 totalled 596 million euros, after net non-recurring charges of over 170 million euros; net of these charges and of the positive impact of the fair value valuation of the implicit option included in the mandatory convertible bond in the first half of 2016, the figure for the first half of 2017 grew by more than 100 million euros compared to the figure for the same period of the previous year.
The Domestic Business Unit continued its positive progress, with revenues growing to 7.5 billion euros (3.4% higher than in H1 2016) and EBITDA totalled 3.4 billion euros (5.6% higher than the corresponding period in 2016).
The results of the BU show a constant and significant increase in the main economic indicators. Indeed, in the second quarter of the year revenues grew 4.0%, compared to the corresponding period of 2016, an acceleration of the growth achieved in the preceding quarters (1Q17 +2.8%; 4Q16 +2.5%; 3Q16 +1.0%; 2Q16 -1.2% and 1Q16 -2.3%). EBITDA for the first half of the year totalled 3,4 million euros (5.6% higher than H1 2016).
These results are sustained by a notable improvement in commercial performance in both the Fixed and the Mobile segments: in particular, ARPU (average revenues per user) in the fixed segment has grown 2 euros/month on the total customer base and 3 euros/month for Broadband customers. At the same time, there has been a steady reduction in line losses, which stopped at 35 thousand in the half year (a loss of 45 thousand excluding VoIP voice lines); this all translates into growth in service revenues in the fixed segment for the first time in 10 years.
In the mobile segment there were over 500 thousand new customers in the second quarter of the year, with ARPU growing to 12.50 euros.
In Brazil the positive performance reported at the start of the year was confirmed, with revenues totalling 7.9 billion reais in the first half of 2017 (+2.9% compared to the same period of the previous year), and EBITDA at 2.6 billion reais (+14.3% compared to same period in 2016).
Executive Chairman Arnaud de Puyfontaine emphasised that “the results of the first six months of the year constitute a solid foundation for the second phase of the TIM relaunch plan that, I feel, will satisfy all the Group’s stakeholders. TIM will continue its investments in infrastructure, and in the development of converging services, and will further consolidate its technological leadership”.
"I leave the company better than I found it, as the results show, with a stronger management, more aware of its possibilities, and thanks to the efficiency work and a change of culture that have brought TIM to not only achieve major financial results, but also industrial ones, in terms of investments and new product launches, and the major increase in turnover is a testimony to this. From the first quarter of 2016 to today, TIM has recorded growth of 9.3 percentage points in consolidated turnover, from -5.6% to +3.7%; 13.6 percentage points in EBITDA, from -7.5% to +6.1%, and the net financial debt has been reduced by 2.4 billion euros over the past 12 months”, commented Chief Executive Officer Flavio Cattaneo.
TIM GROUP RESULTS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2017
The second quarter of 2017 confirmed in full the positive trends that also characterised the four preceding quarters. In particular:
- consolidated revenues totalled 5 billion euros, and showed an increase of 6.4% (3.7% in organic terms);
- domestic revenues showed growth of 4.0%, compared to the corresponding period of 2016, an acceleration compared to the preceding quarters;
- consolidated EBITDA totalled 2.1 billion euros, a 5.5% improvement over the second quarter of 2016. In organic terms, and excluding the impact of non-recurring charges, the increase would be 6.1%:
- Consolidated EBIT totalled 1 billion euros, 2.3% higher compared to the second quarter of 2016.
TIM GROUP RESULTS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2017
Revenues in the first half of 2017 totalled 9,772 million euros, 7.4% higher than in the first half of 2016 (9,096 million euros). The 676 million euro rise is attributable primarily to the Brazil Business Unit, for 435 million euros, and to the Domestic Business Unit for 247 million euros.
Revenues by operating segment, were as follows:
EBITDA in the first half of 2017 was 4,114 million euros (3,726 million euros in H1 2016), 388 million euros (+10.4%) higher than the first half of 2016, with a margin of 42.1% (41.0% in the first half of 2016, + 1.1 percentage point rise).
In organic terms, EBITDA grew by 275 million euros (+7.2%) compared to the first half of 2016, and the margin grew by 1.6 percentage points.
EBITDA for the first half of 2017 reflected the negative impact of non-recurring charges for a total of 95 million euros (93 million euros in H1 2016, at the same exchange rate). Without these, the organic change in EBITDA would have been +7.0%, with a margin of 43.1%, 1.6 percentage points higher than in the first half of 2016.
These charges were connected with events and operations that by their very nature do not occur continuously in normal operating activity. They are emphasised because the total is significant, and comprises, essentially, charges and liabilities deriving from the reorganisation/restructuring of the business.
The following table shows a breakdown of EBITDA and EBITDA margin by business unit:
The positive trend in EBITDA, in both absolute terms and in terms of margin, demonstrates that the benefits deriving from the initiatives in the “cost recovery plan” that started in the second quarter of 2016 in the Domestic Business Unit and in the third quarter in the Brazil Business Unit are transforming into structural improvements.
EBIT in the first half of 2017 was 1,871 million euros (1,687 million euros in H1 2016), 184 million euros (+10.9%) higher than in the first half of 2016, with a margin of 19.1% (18.5% in H1 2016, +0.6 percentage points).
Organic EBIT increased by 159 million euros (+9.3%), with a margin of 19.1% (18.1% in the first half of 2016).
EBIT in the first half of 2017 reflected the negative impact of non-recurring net charges totalling 96 million euros (82 million euros in H1 2016). Without these non-recurring net charges, the organic change in EBITDA would have been 173 million euros higher (+9.6%), with a margin of 20.1%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points on the first half of 2016.
The Profits for the first half of 2017 attributable to the Parent Company Shareholders totalled 596 million euros (1,018 million euros in H1 2016) with net non-recurring charges of 173 million euros. In comparable terms, i.e. excluding non-recurring items as well as, in the first half of 2016, the positive impact of the fair value valuation of the implicit option included in the mandatory convertible bond and, the profits attributable to the shareholders of the Parent Company in the first half of 2017 would have totalled over 100 million euros more than in the same period of last year.
The TIM Group headcount at 30 June 2017 was 60,652, including 50,926 in Italy (61,229 at 31 December 2016, including 51,125 in Italy).
Capex in the first half of 2017 totalled 2,056 million euros, 73 million euros more than in the first half of 2016, and breaks down as follows by operational sector:
The Domestic Business Unit reports investments of 1,626 million euros, a 51 million euro increase over the first half of 2016; this increase is primarily attributable to the innovative component (266 million euros more than in the first half of 2016) and reflects, in particular, the acceleration in investments on the development of new generation networks and services and the reduction in other types of investment. This emphasises the selectivity and care with which capital allocation choices are made, based on strategic priorities and profitability.
The investments of the Brazil Business Unit in the first half of 2017 increased by 22 million euros (including a positive foreign exchange effect of 82 million euros) compared with the first half of 2016; these investments were focused mainly on the evolution of the industrial infrastructure.
Cash flow from Group operations was positive for 958 million euros (positive for 671 million euros in the first half of 2016).
Adjusted net financial debt totalled 25,104 million euros at 30 June 2017, a reduction of 15 million euros from the total at 31 December 2016 (25,119 million euros): the positive dynamic in operational management ensured coverage of the requirements deriving from payment of financial charges and dividends totalling 218 million euros, and the payment of 257 million euros made by the Brazil Business Unit to the consortium that is freeing (cleaning up) the 700 MHz spectrum, which the Business Unit acquired user rights to in 2014.
The net financial debt carrying amount at 30 June 2017 totalled 25,728 million euros (25,955 million euros at 31 December 2016).
In the second quarter of 2017, adjusted net financial debt was 131 million euros less than at 31 March 2017 (25,235 million euros) due to the positive operational-financial dynamic which ensured coverage of the requirement deriving in particular from the mentioned payment of 218 million euros in dividends.
The liquidity margin at 30 June 2017 was 12,188 million euros, equivalent to the sum of "Cash and cash equivalents" and "Securities other than investments" for a total of 5,188 million euros (5,483 million euros at 31 December 2016) and unused committed lines of credit for a total of 7,000 million euros. This margin covers the financial liabilities of the Group falling due for at least the next 24 months.
BUSINESS UNIT RESULTS
DOMESTIC
Revenues for the first half of 2017 totalled 7,494 million euros, 247 million euros (+3.4%) higher than in the first half of 2016, confirming the improvement trend observed over the previous year. Indeed, there was growth of +4.0% in the second quarter, compared to the corresponding period of 2016, an acceleration compared to the previous quarters (Q1 2017 +2.8%, Q4 2016 +2.5%, Q3 +1.0%, Q2 -1.2%, Q1 -2.3%).
In greater detail:
- Fixed market service revenues totalled 4,932 million euros, a slight contraction compared to the first half of 2016 (-39 million euros, -0.8%), but with a constant recovery trend already evident in the three previous quarters (Q2 2017, +0.8%, compared to -2.4% in Q1 2017, -3.0% in Q4 2016, -3.6% in Q3 and -4.8% in Q2 2016). The contraction is wholly correlated with the fall in revenues from traditional voice services (-162 million euros, due to the fall in traditional accesses), as well as the reduction in regulated prices for some wholesale services (-44 million euros). These impacts are offset, in particular, by steady growth in revenues from innovative services for data connectivity (+128 million euros, +14.2%), led primarily by the growth in ultrabroadband customers, which increased by 723 thousand, bringing the number of retail accesses to 1.5 million and the total number of accesses to 2 million. The increase in revenues from ICT solutions is also of note (+28 million euros, +9.8%);
- Mobile market service revenues totalled 2,228 million euros, with an increase of 51 million euros compared to the same period last year (+2.3%). This trend is sustained by the good competitive performance, which created the growth in the customer base, the increase in LTE customers (72% of the total number of Mobile Internet customers, 62% at the end of 2016) and in ARPU levels. The historical series of stably positive performance is therefore confirmed (+2.5% in Q2 2017, +2.2% in Q1 2017, +3.0% in Q4 2016, +1.1% in Q3 2016, +0.7% in Q2 2016).
Revenues from product sales, including changes to work in progress, totalled 652 million euros in the first half of 2017 (226 million euros higher than in H1 2016), and reflect the constant increase in sales of smartphones and connected devices (smart TVs, Smart Home products, modems, set-top boxes, etc.).
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The Domestic Business Unit operates separately in two different reference environments, and an analysis of these revenues is provided below:
Core Domestic Revenues
Core Domestic revenues totalled 6,965 million euros an increase of 3.4% (6,736 million euros in 1H 2016).
The performance of the individual market segments as compared with the first half of 2016 is as follows:
- Consumer: the revenues of the Consumer segment in the first quarter of 2017 totalled 3,767 million euros, with an increase of 195 million euros (+5.5%) compared to the same period in 2016; this dynamic confirms the recovery trend already underway in the previous year.
In particular:
- Mobile revenues totalled 1,847 million euros, higher than in the first half of 2016 (+70 million euros, +4.0%), in particular, there was an increase of 51 million euros in service revenues (+3.3% compared to H1 2016). The improvement trend already observed in the preceding quarters was therefore confirmed (+4.1% in Q2 2017, +3.9% in Q1 2017, +4.8% in Q4 2016) due to the progressive improvement and stabilisation of market share and the constant growth in mobile internet and digital services, which supported ARPU levels;
- Fixed revenues totalled 1,903 million euros, a 130 million euro increase compared to the first half of 2016 (+7.3%) in a trend of continuous improvement over the preceding quarters (+11.2% in Q2 2017; +3.5% in Q1 2017; +2.0% in Q4 2016), thanks to containment of line losses, the growing Broadband and Ultra Broadband customer base (which offsets the loss of voice only accesses), the growth in ARPU levels and the good performance of connected device sales.
- Business: the revenues of the Business segment totalled 2,280 million euros, an increase of 80 million euros compared to the first half of 2016 (+3.6%).
In detail:
- Mobile revenues performed in line with the first half of 2016 (+0.1%); in particular, the ongoing contraction in traditional mobile services (-9.0% on the voice and messaging component compared to the first half of 2016), determined by the customer repositioning dynamic (both Private and Government customers) onto offers with lower levels of ARPU, is entirely offset by the positive performance of the new digital services (+9.6% compared to the first half of 2016);
- Fixed revenues rose by 77 million euros (+4.6% compared with the first half of 2016) thanks to the constant growth in ICT service revenues (+9.8%) which more than compensated for the fall in prices and revenues on traditional services, and the effects of the technological shift to VoIP systems.
- Wholesale: the Wholesale segment registered revenues of 834 million euros in the first half of 2017, down on the figure for the same period in 2016 ( -29 million euros, -3.4%). The impact on revenues is entirely attributable to the reduction in regulated prices, which caused a -44 million euro shortfall, only partially offset by the contribution made by growth in the numbers in the NGN, SULL, and Co-location sectors.
International Wholesale– Telecom Italia Sparkle Group Revenues
These totalled 646 million euros, substantially in line with the figure for the first six months of 2016 (-3 million euros, -0.5%). This result is due to a fall in revenues for IP/Data services (-11 million euros, -7.5%), ascribable primarily to the contraction in revenues from the Mediterranean basin due to the expiry of old multiyear contracts, offset by growth in revenues for Voice services (+8 million euros, +1.8%).
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The EBITDA of the Domestic Business Unit in the first half of 2017 totalled 3,361 million euros, a 177 million euro increase compared to the first half of 2016 (+5.6%), with an EBITDA margin of 44.8%, (+0.9 percentage points compared to the same period of the previous year). In organic terms, the increase was +5.5%. The first half of 2017 reflected the negative impact of non-recurring charges totalling 95 million euros (83 million euros in the same period of the previous year) for settlements, disputes and redundancy costs.
Without these charges, the organic change in EBITDA would have been +5.7%, with a margin of 46.1%, an increase of 1.0 percentage point on the first half of 2016.
The EBIT of the Domestic Business Unit in the first half of 2017 was 1,685 million euros (1,581 million euros in the corresponding period of 2016), an increase of 104 million euros (+6.6%), with an EBIT margin of 22.5% (21.8% in H1 2016). The trend in EBIT reflects the positive trend in EBITDA presented earlier, partially offset by the increase in amortisation and depreciation (+78 million euros). In organic terms, the increase was +6.5%.
EBIT for the first half of 2017 reflected the negative impact of non-recurring charges for a total of 95 million euros (83 million euros in H1 2016). Without these, the organic change in EBIT would have been +6.9%, with a margin of 23.8%.
The headcount, of 51,095 employees, fell by 185 units compared to 31 December 2016.
BRAZIL (average real/euro exchange rate 3.44195)
The revenues of the Tim Brasil group in the first half of 2017 totalled 7,894 million reais, 220 million reais more (+2.9%) than in the same period of the previous year. Revenues from services totalled 7,494 million reais, with an increase of 305 million reais compared to the 7,189 million reais of the first half of 2016 (+4.2%).
Revenues from product sales totalled 400 million reais, (485 million reais in H1 2016 (-17.5%). The reduction reflects the change in commercial policy, focussed more on the value than on the increase in volume of sales.
Mobile ARPU in the first half of 2017 was 19.2 reais, compared to 17.2 reais in the same period of the previous year (+11.6%).
The total number of lines as of 30 June 2017 was 60,831 thousand, and corresponds to a market share of 25.1% at June 2017 (26% as of 31 December 2016).
EBITDA totalled 2,624 million reais, 328 million reais more than in the first half of 2016 (+14.3%). The growth in EBITDA is attributable both to the positive revenue trend and to the benefits obtained from the efficiency projects on the structure of operational costs which started in the second half of 2016, with an improving trend in the second quarter (+15.8% compared to +12.6% in Q1 2017 and +5.8% in Q4 2016).
It should also be noted that personnel costs for the first half of 2016 also included non-recurring charges for redundancy costs totalling 34 million reais.
The EBITDA margin was 33.2%, up 3.3 percentage points on 1H 2016.
EBIT totalled 669 million reais a 171 million reais more (+34.3%) than in the first half of 2016 (498 million reais). This result benefits from the greater contribution made by EBITDA (+328 million reais) offset by higher amortisation and depreciation costs (+119 million reais) due to the development of the industrial infrastructure and the lower impact the net capital gains on asset sales (-38 million reais), principally of telecommunications towers.
On this point, it should be noted that the last partial sale of telecommunications towers, to American Tower do Brasil, took place in the second quarter of 2017; the operation produced a small injection of cash with little economic impact.
The headcount stood at 9,471 employees (9,849 as of 31 December 2016).
EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO 30 JUNE 2017
Approval of the settlement agreement for the termination of Flavio Cattaneo’s employment
See the press release on this subject issued on 24 July 2017.
OUTLOOK FOR THE 2017 FINANCIAL YEAR
As envisaged in the 2017-2019 Plan, TIM will continue its profound transformation process. This is characterised by strong financial discipline to support development, aimed at both creating more room for investments in new networks and platforms (Fibre and mobile UltraBroadband, Cloud), eliminating less strategically important cash costs, and at maximising the return on investments. The aim is to ensure structural growth in turnover and EBITDA and affirm TIM as the reference point of the market in terms of technological leadership, network quality and Fixed and Mobile service excellence. The distinguishing elements of this approach are innovation, convergence, exclusive content and being close to our Customers.
In the Domestic Fixed segment, TIM expects to further reduce the contraction in customer numbers - with line losses zeroed by the end of 2018 - thanks to the acceleration in the availability and consequent adoption of fibre. The commercial strategy will also play a key role, aimed at retaining and developing customers through, for example, the supply of devices and home appliances for the Smart Home connected to the domestic network which can be paid for directly in the phone bill.
In the Domestic Mobile segment, in a competitive context that will be increasingly polarised and segmented, TIM will leverage the capillary nature of its 4G network (which it is expected will cover more than 99% of the population in 2019) and on the availability of converging services and quality content - particularly in the high-end market, which is characterised by ever increasing data consumption. The second “no-frills” brand, Kena, (launched in April) will enable the company to compete in the mainly price-sensitive segments.
Operations will be characterised by maximum selectivity and prioritisation in investment choices and by actions to recover efficiency through structural cost optimisation programmes. At the same time, the transformation and simplification of the organisation and processes - combined with commercial developments and the expected growth in turnover - will guarantee low single digit growth in EBITDA for the Group, and will generate the cash needed to reduce the ratio of adjusted net financial debt to reported EBITDA, which is expected to drop to 2.7x in 2018.
In Brazil the Plan is to continue with the relaunch of Tim Brasil, repositioning the subsidiary based on the quality of its networks and offer, to allow the company to confirm its leadership in pre-paid segment and compete successfully in the post-paid segment. The cost cutting plan launched in 2016 is also confirmed and has been strengthened, to allow the company to achieve solid profitability and cash generation. In particular, there will be a further boost to the creation of UBB mobile infrastructure – by the end of the Plan, 95% of the population will have access to 4G with coverage in approximately 3,600 towns and cities - and to the development of convergent offers thanks in part to agreements with the main producers of premium content.
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TOPICS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Board of Directors of TIM acknowledged the beginning of the direction and coordination activity over TIM by Vivendi SA.
With reference to Mr Cattaneo’s resigning from the office of CEO and Board member, consistently with TIM’s succession plan the Board of Directors temporarily granted his powers to the Executive Chairman Mr. de Puyfontaine, who with the aid of the Company’s management team, will lead the Group along the lines of the strategic plan. The powers referring to the Security Department and the subsidiary Telecom Italia Sparkle have been temporarily assigned to the Deputy Chair, Giuseppe Recchi.
Finally, the Board of Directors acknowledged Director Crépin (non-independent Director) resigned from his office of member of the Control and Risk Committee, and replaced him with Director Camilla Antonini (independent Director). Mr Crépin was appointed as an additional member of the Strategic Committee.
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The Executive responsible for preparing the corporate accounting documents , Piergiorgio Peluso, hereby declares, pursuant to subsection 2, Art.154 bis of Italy’s Consolidated Law on Finance, that the accounting information contained herein corresponds to the company’s documentation, accounting books and records.
Rome, 27 July 2017